Kisses for Clark
by Nefertiri's Handmaiden
Summary: Four times Lois kisses Clark, and one time he kisses her.


Kisses for Clark

Nefertiri's Handmaiden

Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. Superman.

Note: This is a futurefic chronicling Lois's thoughts on a budding relationship with Clark. When I ran this past my buddy shadowsanddreams, she wanted to know what had happened to Richard. Was he dead? she asked. In a coma? What?

To tie up that loose end, which I don't want to discuss in this story, Richard and Lois have split up. A little less than eight months ago, Superman reappeared. The strain that Superman put on Richard and Lois's relationship was too much for Richard, who didn't think he could compete with the Man of Steel. He transferred away from the Daily Planet to Australia six weeks after Superman lifted the New Krypton into space. It has been about six months since he left.

--

"Wow, Lois, you sure do look pretty."

Clark was such a dork sometimes, but he was also a sweet dork. And for some reason, Lois felt his simple compliment was more sincere, more heartfelt, than any of the others she'd been given tonight.

She looked good. She knew it. She wasn't so modest as other women: tonight she was a complete knockout. Everyone had said so.

Perry had smiled at her like a father smiles at his daughter and then gruffly informed her that she looked beautiful. It had made her smile. Jimmy had stared at her in awe and told her she was looking "totally hot." She'd laughed and thanked him graciously. Gil had told her that she was beautiful, but then his wife had glared at him and he'd quickly amended his comment with, "But not as beautiful as my best girl, here." Lois had smiled, but felt just a little bit envious.

But when Clark complimented her, she knew, somehow, that he wasn't just talking about her dress or her hair or her makeup. He was talking about her and it made her feel, suddenly, like she was the most important person in the world. He had this look in his eyes that she'd never quite seen before. It was a soft, tender look. A look that took her breath away, because it was so completely _real_. No one had ever, ever looked at her that way before. Not even Richard.

She beamed. It was the only reaction she could think of in the face of a look like that. And, impulsively, she raised herself even higher up than her high-heels did, and brushed a kiss across his cheek. Well, perhaps a little closer to his jaw. He was awfully tall and perhaps she estimated poorly. But still, it was meant to be completely platonic.

When she pulled back, he was smiling like she'd just given him Christmas morning presents and New Year's Eve champagne and Thanksgiving dinner and Fourth of July fireworks all together.

She'd never met anyone with a soul so pure as his. And now she knew the truth: he loved her.

She began to think there might be more to Clark Kent than she'd always seen.

--

The next time Clark was gifted with a kiss from Lois is was neither of their doing.

Jason.

He was sitting at Clark's desk. The two had become fast friends since Clark had reappeared at the Planet and Richard had gone. Jason would spend hours at Clark's desk coloring or playing or simply spitting out all sorts of information to which Clark would respond with a smile and a sparkle in his eyes. On this particular instance, Lois was at Clark's desk, too, talking about a story and asking for a file.

Clark had been acting in his usual manner; that is, completely clumsily. When he'd knocked his hot coffee over onto his hand, he pulled it away - "Ow!" - and sucked on it. Lois asked mildly, "You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Jason, however, was unwilling to leave well enough alone. "When I get an owie, Mommy kisses it better, so she has to do it for you, too, so it won't hurt any more."

Clark turned bright red. It was charming, in a nerdy sort of way. He stuttered something as Lois said gently to her son, "Jason, it only works on you because I'm your Mom." Jason shook his head stubbornly.

"Nuh-Uh. It's because you have magic kisses. You have to kiss him better too." Lois rolled her eyes and reached for Clark's hand. She saw him tense up, but chose to ignore it. Gently, she brushed her lips against his fingers.

When she pulled away, he was staring at her with a look in his eyes that she'd never seen there before. It was nothing like the tender look she'd gotten at the party. His eyes had darkened behind his glasses and they seemed to be alight with a fire from deep inside. It was a look that screamed, "I want to take you. I want to take you right now." It promised that she would enjoy whatever he had in mind and told her that he was just an inch away from snapping. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the moment was broken. The look vanished and was replaced by one of total mortification. He stuttered some sort of excuse and almost sprinted from the room. She watched him as he hurried through the bullpen, barely avoiding running into poor Jimmy, and disappeared from her eyesight into the stairwell.

"What's wrong with him, Mommy?"

She shook her head to clear it and answered her son. "He's fine, baby. He probably just wanted some fresh air."

But as she sat back down at her own desk, she couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to see that look again. She couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to pull off his glasses and wrap her arms around him and kiss him, because somehow she knew that kissing Clark Kent would be one of the best moments of her life.

It was strange. She'd never noticed how tall he was, how broad his shoulders were, or the powerful set of his jaw.

_Is it suddenly hot in here?_

--

Three days and several of Lois's very inappropriate daydreams later, Lois was sitting at her desk, doing her very best to remain focused on her latest article about the crooked congressman from Delaware. Clicking on the 'Print' button, she rose to her feet to collect her article and took two steps from her desk before she slipped on a piece of paper that was lying on the floor and her feet came out from underneath her. She barely had time to squeak when strong arms covered in a soft cotton oxford shirt caught her from behind and steadied her. She took a deep breath in relief and turned around to face her rescuer.

It was Clark. His brow crinkled attractively in concern and he asked, "Gee, Lois. Are you alright?"

She nodded and he smiled tenderly at her. Her heart skipped a beat before she got a hold of herself. _Come on, Lane! This is CLARK KENT you're mooning over. Not Superman!_ So she laughed and said lightly, "You saved me from quite a nasty fall, Clark. You're my hero!"

His eyes got a funny look in them and he blushed scarlet, bowing his head. _Awww. He's so cute. Like a schoolboy getting a compliment from the teacher. A very tall, very attractive schoolboy with very, very strong arms and really nice hands and -_

She cut herself off at that thought, but she couldn't resist the impulse to reward him. She rose to her toes and, with his head ducked like that, it was just possible for her to brush her lips lightly against his forehead near his jet black hair, which smelled surprisingly good and felt very soft where it brushed against her face. And his skin was so smooth...

She pulled away and his head rose, their eyes connecting for another electric moment similar to the one they'd shared three days ago, but different. This was more tender: less charged with electricity. It lasted only a second. Only a second, and then he blushed bright red again and broke eye contact. She turned, dejected, to complete her original journey toward the printer. His voice called her back, almost harshly.

"Lois!"

She turned back around to look at him.

"Yes?"

He took a deep breath. "Do you want to go out sometime? With me?" She stared at him, and he added (rather stupidly), "On a date?"

She couldn't think of a single thing to say. At first, it was because of the shock. Shock that he'd actually worked up the courage to ask. Shock that, to her very intense surprise, she really, really wanted to say "Absolutely!" and jump into his arms. But, for the life of her, she couldn't do anything but stare at him.

He started to twitch nervously, and she could almost see the doubts running through his head. It was only when he opened his mouth - to retract the offer, maybe? - that she was finally spurred into action, breaking into a smile so wide her face hurt. "I'd like that, Clark. I'd like that a lot. How's Friday?"

"Great!" he answered loudly. A little too loudly, as Gil and Steve looked up at him in curiosity. She watched him take another deep breath, and then he answered in a much more normal voice, "That's great. Dinner and a movie?"

She nodded.

"I'll pick you up at seven?"

She nodded again and turned back to her original pilgrimage toward the printer, grinning like a fool.

Meanwhile, behind her, though she didn't see it, Clark realized he was floating about an inch off the ground. He lowered himself quickly and looked around. He didn't think anyone had noticed, but the more concerning thing was that at that moment he didn't really care.

--

It was just after midnight on Friday night when Clark finally returned Lois to the door of the small apartment she now shared with her son. Lois turned to Clark, taking a deep breath as she prepared for what was always the most awkward part of any first date.

_Well,_ she mused, _actually… this isn't our first date._

It wasn't. She remembered those dates she'd consented to, long ago, when he'd first started working at the _Planet_. But those has been different. She hadn't felt anything then. Not really. A fleeting affection and an inability to tell him no.

Pity dates.

This was not a pity date. No date that crossed the midnight threshold was a pity date. And she sure as hell didn't pity Clark now. In fact, what she was feeling was nothing like pity. It was a heady mixture of excitement, happiness, nervousness, contentment, and - yes - even desire. And maybe - _maybe_ - just a hint of love was thrown in there somewhere. A simpler word for it was 'giddiness.'

All that aside, Lois steadied herself to say goodnight. "I had a really good time tonight, Clark."

He nodded, smiling widely in that slightly goofy manner of his that she used to find amusing and now found hopelessly attractive. "Me too, Lois."

But he didn't get it, did he? "No. I mean, I really, really had a good time tonight." She wouldn't have thought it was possible, but that endearingly cute smile grew even wider.

"Yeah. Me too."

"I think we should do this again sometime. Soon."

"I'd like that very much, Lois."

She nodded; perhaps a bit giddily, even. She turned to the door and fit her key into the lock but couldn't bring herself to open it just yet. She whipped her head back around to look at Clark. "Clark?"

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't think I'm too forward if I kiss on the first date, would you?"

His eyes went funny - a mix of shyness, tenderness, and desire. "No. I wouldn't think that at all, Lois."

"Good." She took a step closer to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, rose onto her toes, and stretched up to kiss him. It was a simple kiss, just a brush of her lips to his, lasting barely more than a second, and he didn't even move. But sparks sizzled down her spine, and she exhaled dreamily. "Goodnight, Clark." And she placed her hand on the door handle.

"Lois?"

"Yes?" she replied hopefully, turning back to face him.

"You wouldn't think I was too forward if I kissed you on the first date, would you?"

She swallowed. "No. I wouldn't think that at all, Clark."

He grinned and this time he was the one to close the distance. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hitched her up just a bit, and finally she knew how strong he really was. Because his arms were sturdy around her back and she was pressed solidly to a chest a million miles wide. He met her eyes firmly for a moment, and then lowered his lips to hers. The last thing she saw before her eyes slipped shut was his bright, bright blue eyes.

And then she couldn't think of anything at all.

_Whoa_.

Who knew that Clark Kent could kiss like _that_?

Lois thought she could say, with all fairness, that it was quite possibly the best kiss of all time. It was tender and gentle and such an outright declaration of love that she felt herself becoming a little weepy. Her fingers curled into fists where they rested against his chest, clutching at his shirt. Yet, even as the adoration from his kiss swept her right off her feet, she could taste the barely restrained, pure want. She moaned deep in her throat. He answered by holding her tighter. And there, lining every other feeling in this kiss, was plain, simple happiness. Lois felt dizzy. The world around her disappeared.

_Whoa_.

When he broke the kiss, they were both breathing heavily and Lois didn't know how her legs would take the strain when he let her go. Mostly though, she just wanted him to kiss her like that again. And she wanted it bad enough that she was willing to ask for it.

"Again?"

He smiled brilliantly, and lowered his lips to hers one more time.

When he finally pulled away again several minutes later, Lois' head was spinning. She rested her head against his chest while her mind cleared, and his arms tightened around her ever so slightly. She felt… loved. Wanted. Overall, safe.

Safe, like she'd only ever felt in one other person's arms.

And suddenly she knew. She knew everything. She lifted her head from his chest and unwrapped one hand from around his neck. She met his eyes firmly and put her hand to his glasses. He tensed but didn't stop her. Gently, she pulled off his glasses.

He blinked briefly as his eyes adjusted. When his eyelashes lifted, there he was; the man she loved. She wasn't sure now if his name was Clark Kent or Superman but she found that, in that moment, she didn't care.

He opened his mouth. She could sense the apology ready to pour out of it. She placed a hand against his lips. "I'm not angry. Not right now. I'll probably be furious with you tomorrow, but right now I'm just happy I finally found you."

His eyes were desperate, urgent; his voice, deeper and husky. "I love you, Lois. I've always loved you."

She smiled. "I love you too. Both of you. All of you."

Finally, Clark smiled too.

It was then that Lois realized that they were floating.


End file.
